Undeniable Horrors
by Daelena
Summary: Sometimes, it's so easy to forget that never staying dead isn't as easy as it sounds. Ianto/Jack. Forty-third in the "Immortal Janto" series.
1. Chapter 1

Undeniable Horrors

The Death

_Disclaimer__: Still no owning here. Merely providing some wishful thinking for people._

_Summary__: Sometimes, it's so easy to forget that never staying dead isn't as easy as it sounds. Ianto/Jack. Forty-third in the "Immortal Janto" series._

_Annabelle is eighteen, Theo is twenty-two, and the twins are twenty-six in this story._

_This will be a two-chapter story, so double the moments of tears and Janto-ness._

_I know that I promised a wedding story, but this wouldn't let me have any peace or any creativity in writing a wedding story. That one's coming! _

_Warning, this will be a tear-jerker, so you better get your tissues ready for this one._

All hell was literally breaking loose around him.

It was easy enough to avoid the bullets that were flying past him. After all, years spent running, both as a part of Torchwood and traveling with the Doctor gave them really good reflexes. Still, every time bullets starting whizzing and they were put into a life and death position, Ianto always got concerned – not so much for the fact that they couldn't stay, but because everyone else would.

As he ducked behind a pillar to draw a steadying breath, he checked his gun. The gun fire died down. He swore vehemently.

He was out of ammo.

Ianto was out of ammo and he was separated from the rest of the group by a wide hallway that contained way too many enemy gunmen. He would never get out of there alive or in one piece.

And he and Jack were supposed to be getting married – again.

Fate, it seemed, had other ideas and, as such, demanded that they postpone their happiness for another day. Ianto wasn't on good terms with Fate at the moment. Jack probably wasn't either, but Ianto didn't want to speak for Jack right now.

Drawing a deep breath, he tilted his head to the side a little bit, feeling the comm in his ear, glad that they had salvaged that particular bit of technology from the remains of Torchwood Three. These comms came in handy, though he knew that the message that he was going to relay back to the rest of the group wouldn't be easy for anyone. He had done what he had been tasked to do, though he was going to die as a result of this task.

It sucked that, here he was, in another governmental building, about to face his imminent demise. But, Ianto thought to himself grimly, at least this time, they had been successful in stopping an alien race from coming down and wreaking havoc on the unsuspecting human race. However, they had gone in to deal with the situation without the support (or express approval) of the American government – hence, the gunmen who were poised to take down an immortal fugitive of the law.

Figures.

Despite everything that they had done for the safety of the planet and the fact that they were (officially) on Torchwood business (despite the fact that Torchwood was considered to be a "retired" secret organization), the American government didn't take to having six people storm into a building, demanding authority. Even though Torchwood had been instrumental in ending the Miracle, all those years ago, the American government still did not look favorably on the organization, though Ianto saw no reason to dislike them.

Regardless, he had to grin at the humor of the situation, thinking about how six people (mainly British) had managed to dupe the Americans to get into a very secure and very well protected governmental building.

It would have been eight people who stormed the building, but S.J. had volunteered to operate this mission remotely from the TARDIS and Ianto had flat-out refused to pull Annabelle out of university to solve a problem. She already had enough to worry about without the problem of trying to save the world. Starting university was a stressful time. Besides, they had enough people on this to handle it, especially since Theo had clearly taken after both Mickey and Martha, inheriting their world-saving traits, and had proven quite successful in his acting abilities – throwing the Americans in the place for a loop when an operative they had assumed was from the CIA began speaking in his native accent.

Still, Ianto was drawn out of his thoughts as a demand from the military contingent that had their guns trained on the pillar that he was using as a shield was thrown out.

"Surrender yourself and you won't be harmed."

He gritted his teeth and touched his comm, quietly saying, "I'm out of ammo and I don't think they'll let me out of custody for a good long while."

"Just do what they say," Jack pleaded, his voice worried. "We can work out the legality of having you released later."

Ianto felt love surge through him. Jack's worry was well-founded. Still, the temptation of being unharmed and going into custody sounded nice, but anyone who had survived as long as both of them knew that, as soon as the American government got wind of the fact that he was one of the elusive Torchwood immortals, then they would do everything in their powers to keep him in custody (using every technicality they could scrounge up) – and with good reason.

He and the rest of the group had all overstepped a few laws while here.

"You know it's too good to be true, Jack," he whispered. "I know I promised that I would never say good-bye ever again."

"Ianto, don't!" Jack's voice hitched.

"Listen to Uncle Jack, Uncle Ianto," Theo's voice was soft and Ianto was keenly aware of the fact that he was only twenty-two and was about to witness (albeit a bit removed) the (rather gruesome) death of one of his immortal, beloved uncles.

For a few moments, he could hear the pleading of his TARDIS crew family, save the Doctor. They were trying to keep him from getting himself killed, though they all knew, deep down that it was an inevitable fact.

"I'm sorry, but I have to," he calmly said. "As soon as they start firing, get the TARDIS out of here. I can buy you enough time to get out without being harmed. Come back for me when you can."

The half-second before the response hung in the air and it was near timeless.

"We will, Ianto. I promise," the Doctor promised – and Ianto believed him.

"I'll see you on the other side." Ianto hoped that his voice was upbeat, though he knew that he was not convinced.

"I love you, Ianto," Jack said, his voice wobbling, on the verge of tears, though he could hear Jack trying to be strong for him.

Ianto smiled, glad to hear those words in his ear.

"Love you too, Jack."

And, with the image of Jack's face flashing across his mind, Ianto stepped around the pillar, holding his useless gun in a firing position. That was all the military needed. Multiple cracks cut through the air and he felt searing pain rip through him as they shot him down.

As he stumbled back a few steps and then fell to the ground, dying, he heard the klaxons of the TARDIS rumbling as it slipped away from this place. It was music to his ears.

Ianto Jones laughed as the darkness took him.

_That's that. Yes, I'm ending it here, on something of a sad note, what with a death and all – but that's why you come back! _

_You want to see Ianto come back from the dead? Well, you're just going to come back because (ta da!) there's going to be a second chapter to this story. Yep, you read that right. There's going to be a second chapter._

_Anyway, as always, reviews are love and I adore them. And, as I always say, I will endeavor to have the next chapter up as soon as I possibly can._


	2. Chapter 2

Undeniable Horrors

The Awakening

_Disclaimer__: STILL no owning. Sorry guys, I really am just playing in this sandbox._

_Anyways, here's the second chapter of this story. I hope this chapter isn't as much of a tear-jerker as last time. (I realized that I hadn't quite done a tear-jerker in a little while, so I had to keep you on your toes.)_

_Regardless, enough of my prattling on, let's get on with it._

Pain – bright, brilliant, blistering pain.

His limbs flailed as air flooded his lungs and his heart began to beat wildly, trying to push halted blood through his veins. Goosebumps rose on his skin. Damn, he had never been this cold before. He hurt all over, keenly aware of the cause of his death, and he was trying to catch his breath.

As the pain began to subside (slowly), Ianto became aware of the arms holding him tightly, attempting to steady him as he shook violently in his painful return from death. He gasped for breath and fleeting warmth as his body readjusted to the life that had flooded back to him. He could feel the numbness slowly easing.

He was in the TARDIS, he knew, as awareness of the surrounding room slowly came to him.

Jack whispered quiet words into his ear as he tried to steady himself.

"I'm fine," he gasped out, between breaths, though he didn't believe it and he _knew_ Jack didn't believe it either.

The Doctor entered his field of vision and Ianto blinked, the blurriness in his eyes clearing with every passing second. Concern was written all over the Doctor's face and, given that the Doctor had been around for more than a few of his deaths and had never seemed this concerned before, Ianto felt a stab of fear punch through his gut. He tried to draw a deep breath to steady himself.

But he couldn't.

He couldn't catch his breath.

"Doc? What's going on?" Jack's voice was urgent and worried.

Ianto blinked as the sonic screwdriver was directed at his eyes. He blinked, his breathing starting to settle some, though he still hurt.

"I don't know," the Doctor admitted, his voice quiet.

"What's going on?"

It hurt Ianto to speak even those three words, though he clung to Jack's arms. This wasn't good, he knew. He could _feel_ it. Coming back from the dead had never felt like this before.

"Those soldiers were hell-bent on killing you, Ianto Jones," the Doctor explained, pocketing the sonic screwdriver. "You got over two dozen bullets in you before you fell." The Time Lord looked very concerned. "Somehow I think that those bullets have left a residual effect on you."

His breath was finally starting to steady but he knew that he couldn't find the breath to speak fully. Ianto squeezed at Jack's hands.

"What does that mean?"

The Doctor sighed. "We know that you're immortal, Ianto, but the fact that the Time Vortex in you is smaller than in Jack seems to have finally started to affect you." The realization felt like a block of ice in his stomach. "You won't stay dead, but that doesn't mean that coming back is going to be as easy as it is for Jack. You –" The Doctor's voice broke briefly. "You could stay dead for hours, days, or longer, before you come back."

He looked at the Doctor and nodded, understanding. Jack tightened his hold on Ianto.

Ianto didn't have the words for it at the moment, but the one pronouncement from the Doctor seemed to pack a harder punch that being felled by all of those bullets. It was almost as bad as holding Annabelle when she learned of her own inherited immortality.

Tears welled up and slipped out of the corners of his eyes.

Ultimately, he didn't know how they got back to their suite on the TARDIS. Jack probably supported him or carried him back.

All Ianto was aware of was Jack's arms around him and the soft, comforting words that he whispered, promising that it wouldn't be bad, that they could survive it. He knew that they would. They had gotten through worse before, but this was a shock that would take time to process.

He must have slept at some point because the next thing Ianto knew, he was blearily waking up, wrapped in blankets, with Jack lying quietly beside him, his arm over Ianto's waist.

Ianto rolled onto his side tenderly, aware of his protesting stomach muscles. Jack gave him a brilliant smile as their eyes met. Pure emotion and unabashed love radiated from Jack's bright blue eyes.

"Morning, sunshine," Jack said, his voice a bit hoarse from sleep. "How are you feeling?"

Briefly, he paused to assess his body and catalogue the pains.

"Better."

"That's good." Jack gently cupped his cheek and leaned in to kiss him. "I'm so sorry that you're going to suffer so much every time you die."

Despite his aching muscles and the subsiding pain he felt, Ianto gave Jack a little smile. "It's worth it, Jack," he said, his voice strong and concrete. "I won't mind having to lose hours or days with you every now and again, because I know that I have the rest of eternity to be with you, to have you, to _love_ you, and, as long as I have you there when I die and come back, I think that I can handle it."  
>Jack gave him a weak laugh.<p>

"I promise that I will do whatever I can, go through hell and high water, to be there with you, to hold you when you die, and to be there, holding you when you come back."

A little pain shot through Ianto's torso and knocked the air out of his lungs. He gasped and a flash of concern crossed Jack's face, but Ianto steadied and smiled at him, his breathing steadying considerably

"Ditto, Jack."

That was a promise and they both knew it.

For a little while longer, they lay there, soaking in the gentle comfort of each other's presence. It had been so long since they had such a quiet moment for each other.

Finally, Jack broke the silence.

"So, what are we going to do now, Ianto?"

Ianto thought about it, holding Jack's hands in his. He rubbed his thumb across Jack's rings. A thought crossed his mind.

"We find a chapel and get married again."

"Really?" Jack's voice was excited.

He nodded. "I mean, we both want it to happen and I did promise not that long ago."

Warm lips pressed against his momentarily. "But with no planning?" Jack raised an eyebrow at him and Ianto realized that they really had been around each other for a while because that eyebrow raise was clearly influenced by Ianto himself.

"Well, we're going to have to wait until Annabelle is on holiday because she'd be so upset if she missed it."

Jack's smile broadened as he rolled Ianto onto his back, his enthusiasm very contagious. "But first, we're not leaving this bed until I'm positive you can handle it. We've got plenty of time to be spontaneous later."

Oh, there was so much temptation and sexual appeal in Jack's voice and Ianto loved it.

He slipped a hand behind Jack's neck. Their eyes met.

"Thank you, Jack, for everything."

Ianto's voice was quiet, a bit insecure.

"I love you, Jones, Ianto Jones." Jack gave him a tender kiss, reminding Ianto that Jack was the one steadying constant in his life (as strange as that might sound).

"I love you too, Captain Jack Harkness."

And it felt good to say those words back.

_Okay, this is the end of the second chapter of this story. What do you think? Did you like it? _

_Let me know! Reviews are magical and I love them so much!_

_As always, I will attempt to have the next story of this series up as soon as I can. I mean, after all, we know what's coming next – and I promise that it will be a wedding story!_


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